Madison Library to host “Be Local Bash” to welcome both new and old

By Maria Rakoczy (maria@themadisonrecord.com)

The Madison branch of the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HMCPL) will host a “Be Local Bash” on the first weekend in May. The event is directed at introducing newcomers to the North Alabama community with demonstrations by local organizations, appearances by local authors, and performances by local musicians. Though it is directed at those new to the area, it welcomes all residents to check out what’s going on in their community.

 “Building on the success of the Newcomer Fair last August, the Be Local Bash promises more activities for the whole family. The Madison Chamber of Commerce “Chamber & Kids” is sponsoring the event, which features tours of the Library and the Makerspace,” Jay Hixon, Director of Public Relations for HMCPL, said.

On the Madison Chamber of Commerce’s involvement, Executive Director Michelle Epling stated, “We’re always working very closely with the Madison Library branch on ways to help get the word out on all the different events they have going on in our community. The Be a Local Bash just seemed like the perfect fit for our “Chamber & Kids” initiative, where we can be out in the community and support local non-profits, businesses, and Madison Chamber members while involving the youth of the Madison community. So, to me, it just seemed like the perfect way to kickstart summer, be with the community, and have some fun with friends and family.”

Like last year’s “Newcomer Fair”, Be Local Bash will connect community groups with North Alabama residents. It will feature food trucks, opportunities to speak with local authors, and interact with rescue animal groups. The schedule of activities also includes a Tai Chi demonstration hosted by Global Alliance at 11 am, performances by local musicians Lana White at 12 pm and by Mike Ball at 1 pm on the patio as well as visits from princesses and super heroes with photo opportunities from 11 am to 1 pm in the children’s section of the library. The event brings together new and old Madison residents to get to know each other, the work various organizations perform in the area, and most of all, how to get involved. It is a chance, too, to learn about the wide variety of valuable services available at the library.

Cindy Hewitt, Executive Director of HMCPL, detailed the multitude of services the library performs, “The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library truly offers something for everyone. It has books and music that you can take home, as well as over a million options that you can stream for free anytime, anywhere. One of the best aspects of the Library is that it is a cultural hub for our community. It offers the public so many opportunities to engage in a wide variety of programs including fun storytimes for families, free concerts, and great cultural exhibits from local and national partners.”

Hixon emphasized the Be Local Bash’s opportunity to exhibit all of these resources, “The Be Local Bash is a community event that aims to showcase the 21st century Huntsville-Madison County Public Library and features the Madison Public Library and our Huntsville-Madison community partners. With the participation of over 25 community groups and local authors, this event offers an opportunity for the public to learn about the Library’s programming and all opportunities the public has to create, explore, and connect.”

Be Local Bash is taking place Saturday, May 6 from 10 am to 3 pm at the Madison Library located at 130 Plaza Blvd, Madison, AL 35758. It is truly an opportunity to explore all that Madison and North Alabama have to offer. More information on the event and the library can found at hmcpl.org.

An exhaustive list of groups attending include the following:

Madison Hospital

Rocket City Mom

Land Trust of North Alabama

Madison Visionary Partners

Huntsville Madison Master Gardeners

Huntsville Botanical Gardens

Huntsville Madison Convention & Visitors

Madison Chamber of Commerce: sponsoring the event

Madison Community Orchestra

OLLIE – Osher Learning Institute

WLRH

I Vote Madison

Military Child Education Coalition

HIPPY

Rotary of Madison

Global Ties Alabama

Madison Area Family Lions Club

Global Alliance – Tai Chi demo

Madison Arts Council

PEACE Corps.

Madison Beautification Board

Madison Parks and Rec.

Local authors in attendance include:

Cheryl McAuley

Mike Ball

Donna Van Braswell – Sisters in Crime

Christie Hensler

John Davis

Kathleen Wood

Andrew Crocker